Dolphins FC win away in CAF Champions League

Dolphins finished their CAF Champions League first round first leg encounter in Malabo with an emphatic 3-0 win over Sony Ela Nguema on Sunday at the Estadio de Malabo. 

The game was only seven minutes old when Dolphins showed a glimpse of what they planned against the home side as Adamu Mohammed broke free of his marker, but with only the goalkeeper to beat pushed the ball too far.

However, Emma Nwachi who was returning to the team after a six week injury lay off opened the scoring in the 16th minute.

Four minutes later, it was Nwachi again, free by Chidi Osuchukwu who blasted wide with just the goalkeeper to beat.

Osuchukwu who had been Dolphins most impressive player up till that point got his name on the score sheet in the 26th minute.

After a pretty combination with Adamu Mohammed, he set himself lose, rounding the goalkeeper to score.

At this point there was some fracas in the stands as a member of the delegation from Port Harcourt was slapped by a fan on Nguema. 

This action resulted in a fight that lasted about 15 minutes before the police eventually calmed things down.

While the fans were having an altercation Emma Nwachi was off injured and replaced with Ifeanyi Egwim who got his name on the score sheet five minutes into the second half.

Victor Babayaro came on for Kenneth Anyanwu who hurt his shoulder while while Chidi Osuchukwu was also injured and replaced with Olewezi Johnson.

Three yellow cards were shown to Abduljeleel Ajagun who had a quiet game, Victor Ezuruike and Festus Austin in the later stages of the game when the home team put so much pressure on the Dolphins defence hoping to at least pull one back but it eventually ended 3-0

Erico - Aiyegbeni, Kaita's recall very healthy

Former Super Eagles' assistant coach, Joe Erico has described as healthy the recall of the duo, Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Sani Kaita to the senior national team.

The duo was handed a ticket to feature at the Afcon 2013 qualifier against Rwanda in Kigali on February 29.

Both players have been avoided like plague after their misdeeds at the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa.

Erico, who has openly canvassed for their recall to the Super Eagles, told SuperSport.com that as nation we should develop large heart to tolerate and forgive.

"It's a welcomed development to bring back the two players to the Super Eagles.

"I think we've been getting it wrong to condemn our players once they do things we perceive to be wrong.

"Aiyegbeni and Kaita didn't commit any offence to warrant the treatment we meted out to them.

"Missing a goal or picking red card are no crimes in football.

"Drogba, Gyan, among others have missed crucial goals and penalties yet they play for their nations.

"So I think it is a positive step both to the players and nation," Erico said.

However, the former Nigerian goalkeeper viewed the invitation of the 11 foreign-based players for Rwanda as improper.

"I don't know who drew the list of 11 foreign-based players for the Rwanda game.

"If I were in coach Keshi's shoes, those domestic players that played against Liberia would be called back to camp and handed shirts against Rwanda.

"I am sure, they won't disappoint us against Rwanda.

"The pros are likely to send jitters in the psyche of the domestic players.

"The invitation of Aiyegbeni now will disrupt his performance in the Premiership.

"He may not even be at his best psychologically given the boos he got during the Nwankwo Kanu ceremonial game in Lagos.

"Except somebody will work on that aspect and bring Aiyegbeni to act as an inspiration to the local players," he said.

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Stephen Keshi eyes FIFA top 10

Keshi

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has targeted a FIFA top-10 place and as such the country’s federation are not disturbed by the team’s crash in the latest rankings, officials said.

The latest FIFA rankings have seen Nigeria plunge 11 places to 56th in the world, the country’s worst rating since late 2000.

Nigeria are now eighth in Africa behind the likes of Mali, Gabon and Zambia.

Cote d’Ivoire despite losing the AFCON final to Zambia are the top African football nation.

However, general secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Musa Amadu, has told MTNFootball.com that the federation are not shocked at the ranking and are more preoccupied about improving on their standing as promised by new Eagles coach Stephen Keshi.

“I know that coach Stephen Keshi in qualifying the country (for both the 2013 Nations Cup and 2014 World Cup) is also eyeing a top 10 spot in the world, but right now the ranking is not our primary concern," said Amadu.

"We are not surprised at the ranking. It was expected since we did not feature at the Nations Cup finals"

“We knew that we would drop in the ranking because we did not go to the African Cup of Nations. You can see that we were even placed ahead of some countries that were at the Nations Cup finals in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

“Having said that, the Nigeria Football Federation wishes to assure Nigerians that from now on, our country would only move upwards on the FIFA Ranking, and in leaps and bounds”.

He added: "But in any case the FIFA ranking is the least of our worries. We are focused at qualifying for AFCON 2013 and the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.” 

SOURCE: MTNFOOTBALL

Sani Kaita has promised not to disappoint Nigeria

Kaita

SC Tavriya Simfeporol of Ukraine midfielder Sani Kaita has promised not to disappoint after he was handed a chance for a long-awaited return to the Super Eagles.
He said he will not let down himself, the fans and the coach, Stephen Keshi, who has deemed it fit to recall him to the national team after an infamous red card at the World Cup in South Africa.
 
 
MTNFootball.com: Sani, you have been recalled to the Super Eagles. How do you feel?    
Kaita: I am very happy for this chance to return to Eagles under coach Stephen Keshi. I have been longing for this opportunity and I won't let it slip off my hands again. 
   
I see this as a great honour and I won't disappoint myself, the coach and the whole country for giving me a second chance to play for Nigeria. 
   
I am always ready to serve my country. It is an honour to wear the green and white jersey. 
   
Do you still remember your red card against Greece at the World Cup? 
   
That was the worst moment of my entire life. That was my first-ever red card in a competitive game. It was a big stain on my record. 
   
You apologised to Nigeria for this red card but you must have been disappointed that you were not recalled by the Eagles till now. 
   
Yes, I was not happy because I always want to serve my fatherland. I know all of us can’t play at same time but I believe I have place in the team. Keshi has now done the right thing. 
I never saw myself as out of the team. I have always considered myself as a player of the Eagles. 
   
How then was it like watching the last Nations Cup without Nigeria? 
   
It was sad, but we can’t help it. Now all we need do is look forward to making the next edition, which thankfully will be next year. 
   
You signed for Belgian club Germinal Beerschot and later we learnt it was cancelled and now you are in Ukraine, what happened? 
   
It was so unfortunate, I wanted to really play for Germinal. We had signed a contract but I could not play for them because the home office refused to give me a work permit and without that I couldn’t play, so we had no choice than for us to go our different ways. That is in the past now as I am Tavriya player now. 
   
Now that you are in Ukraine, what are you looking forward to? 
   
I want to continue to do well here and I also want to win trophies with this team. 
   
How would you describe the league in Ukraine compared to where you have played previously – Holland, Russia and France? 
   
Here we have a strong league, big players are here too. All the leagues I have played in are very competitive, they all have their pluses, which make them unique. 
You know this is my second coming to Ukraine so I know how it is here. 

 

Yakubu & Kaita Recalled

Yakubu & Kaita

Nigeria head coach, Stephen Keshi, has handed Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Sani Kaita recalls to the Super Eagles for the 2013 Afcon qualifying against Rwanda.

Yakubu and Kaita are among 11 foreign-based players named in the side to face the Amavubi of Rwanda on February 29 in Kigali.

The duo has been in international football wilderness following Nigeria's dismal show at the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa.

Blackburn Rovers' striker, Yakubu was left out of the Eagles for his schoolboy's miss against South Korea while Kaita got a red card in the game against Greece and ever since then both players became Super Eagles' outcasts.

But the return of Yakubu and Kaita to the national team setup ends close to 20 months of both players inactivity at the international front.

Other foreign-based players called up by Keshi are Vincent Enyeama, Joseph Yobo, Taye Taiwo, Joel Obi, Dickson Etuhu, Victor Moses, Ahmed Musa, Ikechukwu Uche and Peter Osaze Odemwingie.

However, Keshi has left out Espanyol new man, Kalu Uche and Chelsea midfielder, John Mikel Obi from the squad to face Rwanda.

Also, the 20 players from the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) who travelled for Wednesday's international friendly against Liberia, will be part of the pre-2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying against Rwanda.

The Super Eagles made up of players from the nation's top flight defeated Liberia's Lone Star 2-0 in Monrovia.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Director of Technical, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme said on Thursday that the players are expected in camp on February 26 while the Nigeria delegation to Rwanda will fly out of Abuja aboard a chartered flight on February 27.

Europe-based players:

Goalkeeper: Vincent Enyeama (Lille, France)

Defenders: Joseph Yobo (Fenerbahce, Turkey), Taiye Taiwo (QPR, England)

Midfielders: Dickson Etuhu (Fulham, England), Sani Kaita (Tavriya, Ukraine), Joel Obi (Inter Milan, Italy), Victor Moses (Wigan, England)

Strikers: Ikechukwu Uche (Granada, Spain), Osaze Odemwingie (West Brom, England) Yakubu Ayegbeni (Blackburn Rovers, England), Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia)

Locally-based players:

Chigozie Agbim, Godfrey Oboabona, Juwon Oshaniwa, Gabriel Reuben, Uche Ossai, Sunday Mba, Kalu Uche, Papa Idris, Henry Uche, Osasco Omamo, Obinna Nwachukwu, Izu Azuka, Ejike Uzoenyi, Sunday Emmanuel, Kabir Umar, Kingsley Salami, Uche Oguchi, Okemute Odah, Bartholomew Ibenegbu, Azubuike Egwueke